Vehicle jack system



u y 17, 1934 w. c. CRANSTON 1,966,811

VEHICLE JACK SYSTEM Filed Jan. 50, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q :2: I 61 c. I g3 "51 a z fwfirw y 1934- w. c. CRANSTON VEHICLE JACK SYSTEM Filed Jan. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l I I i i it -drawings, in which .j Fig. 9 is'a sectional view on Patented July 17, 1934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES j. This invention relates to a system of jacks carried byfan automobile or other vehicle for lifting the same and to means for connecting these jacks with the motive power which the vehicle carries for operating them. The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple and practical way for connecting four permanent separate jacks with the vehi- .cle insuch a way that they will operate by moving downward to lift their respective corners of .thevehicle; to provide a simple and practical means whereby the power from the motor can be connected with any one of these jacks at a time to operate the jack to lift its part of the vehicle or to reverse it and withdraw it to the position it has to assume when the jack is not being used; to provide a control for the jacks located within reach of the driver indicating the four jacks respectively and showing when the mechanism is moved to a position to operate any one of the particular jacks, and to provide a simple means for making the shift to connect the operating power with any one of the jacks. The invention also involves details of each one of these features. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. .Reference is to be had to the accompanying Fig. 1 is a plan of the running gear of an automobile showing a preferred location of the jacks and the flexible shafts for driving them;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the position of the controlling means on the dash ,and the transmission as well as the connection of the two;

Fig.3 is an end view as indicated by the arrow Fig.4. is a sectional view on an inclined line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

for connecting each one of the individual flexible shaftsgoing to the jacks with the means for driving them;

Fig. 8 isan end view, taken in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig.7; I

the inclined line 9'-'-9 of Fig.7;

Fig. 10 is an elevation on an inclined plane as indicated bythe arrow 10 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a sectional View on the line 11-11 of Fig.9;

Fig. 12'is an elevation of part of the frame of the car showing one of the jacks in diametrical section, and

Fig. 13 is a sectional View of the jack on the line 13-13 in Fig. 12.

As is well known, there has been a great deal of diificulty about the use of jacks on automobiles, particularly the heavier ones like trucks and busses, and several schemes have been proposed for carrying four jacks on the car and operating them by power so as to control the operation of the jacks and the lifting of the car. By this invention the jacks are operated individually and the changing of the operation from one jack to another is reduced to its simplest terms. The jacks are operated by power connected with the transmission in a very simple way so as to provide for forward drive of the jacks and reverse and the jacks are located permanently on the car and firmly mounted so that they do not readily get out of order by the vibration to which they are subjected and they are made in a very simple form involving a minimum of expense and repair. so

The motor of the car is not shown but it drives a shaft 10 from the motor shaft 9 as usual having a gear 11. The usual countershaft gear 12 and reverse idler gear 13 are connected in a wellknown way. It is from these two gears 12 and 13 5 which, meshing together, must rotate in opposite directions that the jacks are driven according to this invention.

For the purpose of transmitting the power in either direction from these two gears 12 and 13, a pinion 14 is provided mounted on a frame 15 fixed on a shaft 16. This pinion is fixed on a rotatable stud 17 carried by the frame 15 and connected with a flexible shaft 18. The casing 19 in which these parts are located is usually provided on a car but it has to beprovided with an additional cap 20 in which the gear 14 is located. This cap is provided with an arcuate slot 21 in which the stud 17 and associated parts travel. Obviously this frame 15 can be swung around so that the pinion 14 will mesh with an operating lever 23 on the dash. This operating lever works in a 'slot 24 and is shown in Fig. 6

in neutral position. Obviously it can be moved 7 up or down and a slot 24 in the plate 25 is marked 119 to show which position it should be put in for lifting the car and for letting it down. The lever 23 is connected with an adjustable rod 26. This rod is connected by an L-shaped bar 27 with the arm 22 and works against the opposition of a spring 28. The angular end on the bar 27 and arm 22 constitute a bell crank fixed to the shaft 16. It will be seen thereforev that by these means the power is transmitted in either direction from the motor to the shaft 18.

The shaft 18 passes to a casing 30 and is provided with a gear or pinion 31 in the casing piv oted on an arm 32 which is centered on an axis" at the center of the casing and connected-by a.

universal joint 34 with a rod 35 raised by a spring 36 into the position shown in Fig. '7. On'the endof this rod is a pointer 38locatedon' the dashor footboard of the car. This pointer has a pin 39 vided in a stationary part through which the shaft 35 passes. Under this pointer is aplate 41 having four designations on it for showing which one of the jacks the device is connected to for operating. It is shown in Fig. 8 in' neutral position and in Fig. 7 in active position. When the pointer is pulled out andturned'so that the pin 39 can be forced by the spring 36 into one of the holes 40, the gear 31 is necessarily turned to one of the four operative positions, that is, it is turned mm the position shown in Fig. 9 into mesh with one of four gears 42. These four gears areeach connected by a friction means, as a clutch 60, with a separate flexible shaft43 and when the parts are in the position just described, one of these jacks will be operated by powerthr'ough the train of gearing described. The friction connection is desirable to avoid injury to the jack. The casing 30 is providedwith an arcuate slot' 44 for receiving the shaft 18. This sl'ot does not necessarily extend much beyond three-quarters o'fa circle, as shown inFig. 10. As' stated, eachone oi' the shafts 43 is connected with a. separate jack.

Each of these jacks is provided with a worm 45, each worm being connected with its respective flexible shaft and each worm meshing with a worm wheel 46. Fixed to this worm wheel is an interior screw 47 which operates a 'nut48 having a hollow unthreaded shank 49 which at the other end of the is provided with an external nut 50 meshing with an internal screw 51. This internal screw is connected with a base 52 of theiack and is contained in a casing 53 which is fixedto the axle 54 or other stationary part of theautomobile frame or chassis. Ball bearings 55 are shown at the top of the jack under a cap. '56 which completes the jack casing. Obviously the turning of the worm in one direction will expand the jack and move thenut 48 down to the bottom, carrying with it the internal screw, 51 and when the nut 48 engages a collar 57' on the bottom of the screw 47, the nut 50 will have to rotate and carry down the internalscrew5ll Thus we have a double expansion jack capable of lifting a car of any size and with tires of the largest diameter. This jack is of a solid sturdy construction and can be attached to the vehicle in a positive and permanent manner, has no pawls or other relatively movable parts that are likely to get out of order, because'it is reversed simply by reversing the direction of rotation 'of the worm 45. Itdoes not depend on any pivoted or spring-pressed means for reversing it or for holding it in its forward or' reversed position.

This whole construction is compact, mechanical and strong. no material rorce'is brought to bear on any part that is weak or apt to give away in practice, the parts are all practically jar and vibration-proof, the parts start into operation practically instantaneously, are reversed without trouble, and they are all fixedly secured in position. The invention constitutes a substitute for the loose jack ordinarily used, the power is obtained fromthe engine without the addition of a power-plant or any new connections to the bat tery, and it is an extremely serviceable mechanismall the way through and very convenient to handle and manipulate. On the end of each worm 45 is a square extension 61 so that each hex-can be'operated manually. Althoughlhave illustrated and described only one'form of 'my" invention, I am aware of the ,fact thatmodifica'tions can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing adapted to enter in one of four recesses 40 pro-"- fronr the scope of the invention as expressed in .the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to all the" details of "construction herein'shown and described, but what 'I" do claim is:*-.

'1. In an automobile, the'combination with a power-driven'shaft having a gear thereon, a. reverse idler gear. meshing therewith, and a counter-shaft gear meshing with the idler gear, of. a swinging frame, a rotary shaft on 'said frame, a pinion on the second shaft adapted to be brought into mesh with either one of the two last-named gears to rotate the pinion'in' either direction, a flexible shaft fixed to the pinion, an arm fixed to said frame, anfop'erating lever located at the front of the car and connectedwith said arm for operating it andthe frame, a gear fixedwith. respect to-sa-id flexible shaft, a plurality of gears with anyone of which the gear of aswinging frame, a rotary shaft on said m frame, a pinion on thesecond shaft adapted to'be brought-into meshwith either one of the two last-named gears to rotate the pinion in either direction a flexible shaftfixed to the pinion, an

arm fixed to said frame, an operating lever lo-( cated at the front of the car and connectedwith said arm for operating it, means for indicating the position jof the controlling lever and therefore the position of "the pinion'and the direction of rotation of the shaft, a casing, a gear in the gm "casing fixed with respect to said'flexible'shaft, a support for the last-named gear movable in the casing, a plurality of gears the casing with any one of which the gear or the shaft is adapted to be brought into mesh, and a plurality of jacks, each connected with one of the other gears in the casing to be operated thereby.

axis, a series of gears atequal distances from the point at. which said frame isipivoted, a jack connected witheach one of the last-named gears {m of said gears as the frame is swung around, means connected with the power mechanism of the automobile for rotating the last-named gear in either direction irrespective of its position, a rod connected with said frame for turning it, a pointer fixed to the rod, and an indicating plate showing which one of the gears, and therefore which one of the jacks, is connected with the power.

WALTER C. CRANSTON. 

